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Marx Toy FAQs and Facts Blog

The Marx Toy Museum will blog about those Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) we receive by email and also share some Facts about some of the toys we have on display at the museum. And the best part - when we don't know the answer - we are hoping you do!!! So comment...

Doll House Factory Prototype

Marx Toy Museum - Saturday, June 11, 2016

Over the years, Marx produced hundreds of Doll Houses – each with creative variations and occasionally unique accessories. A simple concept of creating a miniature version of a home will create hours of playtime for a child – a toy design which continues generation after generation.

The Marx Contemporary Doll House was first produced in 1965. For Marx, it had a unique design – it could only be accessed through the removable roof.

However, this doll house may have been considered for another unique feature!

This Story of this Doll House Starts with an Email:

“My husband and I acquired a doll house in Kokomo, Indiana. All of the dollhouses like this that I have seen online are entirely tin and mine has a fiberboard bottom that looks hand painted and it's on stilts so I can move the magnetic characters around the house with magnets on a stick that are also included. Is this a rarity or is there a specific name for this type of model?”

MTM Offers a Reply and Takes a Closer Look

“It appears you may have the ORIGINAL PROTOTYPE for this dollhouse, as indicated by the lettering on the bottom of the base. This indicates that it was for doll house model number 7835, from the Glen Dale model room, with the date of 12/28/1965. In-fact, a few months ago marks the 50 Year Anniversary of the creation of this dollhouse.”

After some additional emailing, it was determined that the walls were lithographed tin - similar to the production version of the playset. However, there was no question that the base of the set was a paper-based fiberboard product with hand painted designs on the floor surface.

Upon closer review, the furniture, accessories, and figures were all factory production – with a few modifications. The figures were hand painted, and even further modified by being attached to magnetic circular bases.

Furthermore, an additional accessory of FIVE STILTS to elevate the dollhouse a few inches above the surface and a MAGNETIC WAND were included with this set!

The Conclusion OR the Remaining Question

There is no question that this particular display was designed based on the original production Contemporary Doll House from 1965. Additionally, it is clear that the figures were modified, the base was constructed from fiberboard (rather than tin), and the stilts for the base and magnetic wand were included for the purpose moving the figures throughout the dollhouse.

But Why the Modifications?

While initially, the Marx Toy Museum considered that this may have been created as a demo for the existing production, we ultimately believe this to be a NEW and CREATIVE proposal of the doll houses with hands-free movement of the figures throughout the floorplan!